1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a torque converter, and more particularly a torque converter which includes a retarder mechanism within the housing of the torque converter.
2. Description of the Related Art
A typical torque converter has three types of vane elements, an impeller, a turbine and a stator, all disposed inside a hydraulic fluid chamber formed within a torque converter housing. Such a torque converter uses hydraulic fluid to transmit torque from an input rotor connected to the impeller to an input shaft of a transmission connected to the turbine. Part of the torque converter housing defines an impeller shell which includes the impeller, and partially defines the hydraulic fluid chamber, which is filled with hydraulic fluid. The turbine is arranged opposite the impeller inside the hydraulic fluid chamber and is coupled to the input shaft. Moreover, when torque is input from the input rotor to the torque converter housing, the turbine is made to rotate by fluid flowing from the impeller toward turbine. The torque is subsequently transmitted to the output shaft.
In an industrial vehicle equipped with such a torque converter, a fluid type retarder is, for example, mounted to a portion of the transmission where fluid retards the rotation of the input shaft of the transmission. This type of retarder is mainly contained inside a hydraulic fluid chamber in the transmission and formed from a pair of opposing impellers. Each impeller is arranged with a plurality of impellers extending outward. The impellers of the retarder are rotating impellers that are fixed to the rotating shaft and a fixed impeller that is fixed to the housing so it cannot rotate. When hydraulic fluid is sent into this hydraulic fluid chamber, the fluid that flows from the rotating impeller moves toward the outside due to centrifugal force while the fluid flows in a rotational direction. When this occurs, the hydraulic fluid strikes the impeller material of the fixed impeller, flows in the reverse direction of the rotating impeller and return to the rotating impeller side. This hydraulic fluid flow returning from the fixed impeller disturbs the rotation of the rotating impeller. As a result, the rotating shaft is braked.
Because the torque conveyer and retarder of the prior art stated above are both installed in a vehicle separately, they both require space in which to install them.